Device arranged to carry a set of teatcups

ABSTRACT

The invention refers to a device which is arranged to carry a set of teatcups arranged to be attached to a respective teat. The device includes a carrying member, which is displaceable between at least a first inactive position beside the animal to be milked and a second active milking position and on which the teatcups are mounted via a respective flexible conduit member. The conduit member includes at least a milk conduit and is designed to permit a certain movability of the teatcup in relation to the carrying member. Each conduit member extends upwardly from the carrying member and connects to a side portion of the respective teatcup.

THE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART

The present invention refers to a device arranged to carry a set ofteatcups arranged to be attached to a respective teat, wherein thedevice includes a carrying member, which is displaceable between atleast a first inactive position beside the animal to be milked and asecond active milking position and on which the teatcups are mounted viaa respective flexible conduit member, including at least a milk conduitand designed to permit a certain movability of the teatcup in relationto the carrying member.

Today, it is usual to utilise a so-called claw for milking of cows. Theclaw is connected to the teatcups via a respective short milk conduitand arranged to collect the milk from the different teats and convey itin a common long milk conduit to a milk collecting member. However, withthe present design the claw is relatively heavy to handle for themilkers. In addition, there is a risk that the teatcups contact theground when the milking has been terminated and the teatcups are pulledoff from the teats.

Work is also done today regarding different solutions without a teatcupclaw, so called quarter milking, i.e. the milk from the different teatsare not collected and conveyed commonly to the milking machine but isconveyed in separate conduits for each teat to the milking machine.Thereby, it is possible to reduce the risk of infections and inparticular the risk that an infected udder part will infect a healthyudder part via the short milk conduits and the claw. Moreover, quartermilking has the advantage that the milking may be adapted to eachindividual udder part in such a manner that the milking is correctlyterminated, i.e. when the udder part in question is properly emptied. Inconnection with quarter milking, it is however usual to connect eachteatcup to the milking machine by a separate milk hose. Thereby, therisk is significant that the teatcups, after the milking is terminated,reach the floor and in addition it is difficult to arrange a convenientand simple handling of the teatcups.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,385 discloses a device of the initially mentionedtype having a support arm which is connected to a carrying plate onwhich the teatcups are fixedly mounted via a flexible short milk conduitdesigned to permit a certain movability of the teatcups in relation tothe carrying plate. This document discloses different embodiments whichare adapted to so called quarter milking.

EP-B-205 431 discloses a milking device having a sort of claw and fourteatcups. Between the claw and the teatcups, a milk conduit extends,which connects to a side portion of the respective teatcup.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a device by which theproblems mentioned above may be remedied. In particular, it is aimed ata device carrying the teatcups in such a manner that these may beapplied to the teats of an animal in an easy way. In addition, it isaimed at a device by which one may guarantee that the teatcups may notcontact the ground after the milking is terminated.

This object is obtained by the device initially defined, which ischaracterized in that each conduit member extends upwardly from thecarrying member and connects to a side portion of the respectiveteatcup. By such a design of the conduit member, it is possible toprovide the teatcups on the carrying member in such a manner that theyare easily engagable by the person to apply the teatcups to the teats ofthe animal to be milked. By the design according to the invention, theteatcups are also easily gripped by means of a robot arm in connectionwith automatic application of the teatcups to the teats of the animal tobe milked. In addition, by the design according to the invention it ispossible to avoid that the teatcups contact the ground after the milkingis terminated when they are released or pulled off from their respectiveteat. By the geometric extension of the conduit members and by the factthat the conduit members merely permit a certain movability of theteatcup in relation to the carrying member and thus have a certainrigidity, which merely permits a limited displacement of the teatcupsfrom the position they take when the teatcups are applied to theirrespective teat, it is possible to define in advance a desired positionfor teatcups in relation to the carrying member when the teatcups arenot applied to a teat. Furthermore, by the design according to theinvention it is possible to let the teatcups influence the teats merelyby a pulling force.

According to an embodiment of the invention, each conduit memberincludes a first portion extending substantially vertically upwardlyfrom the carrying member at least when the carrying member is in thesecond active milking position and the teatcup in question is attachedto a teat The flexible conduit member will thereby permit a certainbending of the first portion, which means that the teatcup is moveddownwardly. Furthermore, each conduit member may include a secondportion extending substantially horizontally to a respective teatcup atleast when the carrying member is in the second active milking positionand the teatcup in question is attached to a teat. Advantageously, eachconduit member includes a connecting portion connecting the firstportion and the second portion and including a bending. This bending maybe substantially perpendicular and advantageously the connecting portionis manufactured in a substantially rigid material. In such a manner theconduit member is given a predetermined shape when i t is not loaded.Thereby, the first portion and the second portion are advantageouslymanufactured in a flexible material. In such a manner the movability ofthe conduit member may be controllable, The first and the secondportions may be bent but not perform any other significant movement. Bybending the first portion the teatcup will thus be displaceable in asubstantially horizontal plane. By also permitting the second portion tobe bent the teatcup may be displaced downwardly. Advantageously, thesecond portion, in the proximity of its respective teatcup, extendssubstantially radially outwardly with regard to a longitudinal axis ofthe teatcup.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, each conduit memberis connected to a milking machine via a respective separate long milkconduit. Consequently, the device according to the invention isappropriate for so called quarter milking and by means of the carryingmember proposed, the individual teatcups may be kept together and easilyengagable to a user.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the carrying memberis connected to an arm which is rotatable about an axis beingsubstantially perpendicular to the arm. By such an arm, the carryingmember may in a simple manner be displaced between the first positionand the second position mentioned above. Advantageously, the carryingmember is rotatable in relation to the arm about a substantiallyvertical axis. In such a manner, it is possible to position the carryingmember, and thus the teatcups, in substantially the same position inrelation to the teats irrespective of the rotary position of the arm.Thereby, the carrying member may be connected to the arm via a supportextending laterally from the arm and including a rotatable connection tothe carrying member. Furthermore, the arm may advantageously beadjustable with regard to its longitudinal direction. In such a manner,the possibilities to position the carrying member, and thus theteatcups, properly in relation to the teats of the animal to be milkedare further increased Thereby, the arm may be telescopic. Furthermore,the arm is advantageously displaceable in a substantially verticaldirection, which also increases the adjustment possibilities of theteatcups and may, for instance, be of great value in connection withcleaning of the teatcups after the performance of the milking. Thereby,the arm may be rotatably connected to a bar which is displaceablyarranged in a frame member. Such a frame member may be substantiallystationary in the milking stall and thus offer a satisfactory supportfor the arm, the carrying member and the teatcups.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is now to be explained more closely by adescription of an embodiment thereof and with reference to the drawingsattached, in which

FIG. 1 discloses a perspective view of a device according to theinvention,

FIG. 2 discloses a perspective view of a teatcup and an associatedconduit member of the device in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 discloses a perspective view of a carrying member of the devicein FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 discloses an elevational view of the carrying member of thedevice in an inactive position vertically displaced downwardly withrespect to the position shown in FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 discloses a device which is arranged to carry a set of teatcups1, and in particular four teatcups 1. The device is in a first instancedescribed with respect to milking of cows or buffaloes having fourteatcups 1 but it is also applicable to milking of other animals, suchas horses, goats, sheep, where normally only two teatcups are utilized.Each teatcup 1 is fixedly mounted to a carrying member 2 via a conduitmember 3. Each conduit member 3, see FIG. 2, includes a short milkconduit 3′ and a short pulse conduit 3″. The conduit member 3 connectsto a side portion of the teatcup 1, i.e. the conduit member 3 extendsthrough the sidewall or shell of the teatcup 1. In the exampledisclosed, the conduits 3′ and 3″ connect to respective pipe nipples 1′and 1″ extending outwardly from the side portion or shell of the teatcup1. The conduit member 3 connects to the teatcup 1 at a relatively highlevel, preferably at the upper half of the teatcup.

Furthermore, each conduit member 3 includes, as appears from FIG. 2, afirst portion 4 extending substantially vertically upwardly from thecarrying member 2 at least when the carrying member 2 is in an activemilking position and the teatcup 1 is attached to a teat. Furthermore,each conduit member 3 includes a second portion 5 extendingsubstantially horizontally to the teatcup at least when the device is inthe active milking position and the teatcup is attached to a teat.Consequently, in this position the second portion 5 extendssubstantially radially outwardly from a longitudinal axis y of theteatcup 1. The first portion 4 and the second portion 5 are connected toeach other via a connecting portion 6 comprising a bending which issubstantially perpendicular. The connecting portion 6 is manufactured ina substantially rigid material preferably plastic, whereas the firstportion 4 and the second portion 5 both are manufactured in a flexible,i.e. bendable, material. Consequently, the first and the second portions4, 5 may include, for instance, a rubber hose having a certainflexibility. Due to this flexibility, the teatcups, when they arelocated in an inactive position, i.e. are not applied to a teat, willthus be displaced downwardly from the position disclosed in FIG. 3, asshown in FIG. 4. However, it is to be noted that the portions 4, 5 havea certain rigidity or stiffness so that the teatcups 1 only may bedisplaced downwardly a relatively short distance. When the portions 4, 5are not subjected to external forces, i.e. in a rest position or normalposition, they will be located in the position disclosed in FIG. 2. Dueto the weight of the teatcups 1, the conduit members 3 will however bebent downwardly when the teatcups I are not attached to a teat. Forinstance, the teatcups 1, when they are not applied to a teat, may bedisplaced so far downwardly that an upper end of the teatcup is locatedat the level of the carrying member 2. In such a manner it is ensuredthat the teatcups 1 always are easily engagable by a user or by means ofa robot arm, and that the teatcups 1 may not contact the ground whenthey are not applied to a teat.

FIG. 3 discloses more closely an example of how the carrying member 2may be designed. The carrying member 2 includes, in the exampledisclosed, an upper plate 7 and a lower plate 8. The upper plate 7 has,seen from above, the shape of a T, from which the conduit members 3extend essentially vertically. The conduit members 3 are arranged on thecarrying member 2 in such a manner that the position of the teatcups Icorresponds essentially to the position of the teats on the udder of ananimal. Thereby, the conduit members are fixedly connected to thecarrying member 2 and extend through the holes in the upper plate 7. Inthe example disclosed, each conduit 3′, 3″ is connected to a pipe 9comprising a substantially perpendicular bending an being providedbetween the upper plate 7 and the lower plate 8. The second end of suchpipe 9 is connected to a long milk conduit or to a long pulse conduit.The long pulse conduits or the long milk conduits form together aconduit bundle 10 extending to a schematically indicated milking machineM, see FIG. 1. The pipe 9 is manufactured in a rigid material,preferably plastic, and is clamped between the upper plate 7 and thelower plate 8 in such a manner that the position of the conduit members3 is fixed in relation to the carrying member 2. The pipes 9 may extendthrough the upper plate 7 and into the respective conduits 3′, 3″.

The lower plate 8 is rotatably connected to a support 11 via a rotaryconnection 12, which is indicated in FIG. 3. The carrying member 2 maythus rotate in a horizontal plane in relation to the support 11.Consequently, the support 11 extends away from the plate and is in itssecond end fixedly connected to an arm 13, see FIG. 1.

The arm 13 is telescopic and comprises three sections which areinsertable in each other in such a manner that the length of the arm 13may be adjusted. The arm 13 is connected to a substantially verticalbar. 14 via a rotary connection 15, i.e. the arm 13 may rotate in asubstantially horizontal plane in relation to the bar 14, The bar 34 isdisplaceably provided in a frame member 16 and may thus, by means of apneumatic cylinder (not disclosed), be displaced upwardly anddownwardly, respectively, i.e. the arm 13 and the carrying member 2 maybe raised and lowered, respectively. The bar 14 may also be displaceablein relation to the frame member by means of a balancing member in such amanner that the arm 13 and the carrying member 2 may be raised andlowered, respectively, manually by applying a relatively small force.The rotary connection 15 comprises a holder in which the thickestsection of the arm 13 is fixedly arranged. Furthermore, a so-calledremoval member 17 is provided on the frame member 16. The removal membercomprises a cord 18 extending through the arm 13 and being fixedlyconnected to the thinnest section of the arm 13. When the removal member17 pulls the cord 18, the thinnest section will thus be pulled into theintermediate section which is pulled into the thickest section. When theremoval member 17 is deactivated the arm 13 may simply be pulled outagain. Possibly, the arm 13 may comprise a spring or any similar memberdisplacing the arm to an extended position and thereby, the removalmember 17 compresses the arm 13 against the action of the spring force.

Furthermore, the arm 13 comprises, in the example disclosed, a handle 19facilitating the manual operation of the device. Consequently, thecarrying member 2 and thus the teatcups 1 may by the device disclosed inan easy manner be brought to a position where the teatcups 1 are locatedessentially straight below the teats of the animal to be milked.Thereafter, the teatcups 1 may in a very easy manner be lifted upwardlyand thereby be applied to the respective teat. Thanks to the greatmovability of the device, the teatcups 1 and the carrying member 2 willin addition be able to follow possible movements of the teats during themilking if the animal is moving in the milking stall. In such a manner,it is ensured that the teatcups 1 always may hang essentially straightdownwardly from the udder and do not exert any negative forces to theteats but substantially only a certain downwardly directed pullingforce.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment disclosed but may bevaried and modified in many different manners within the scope of thefollowing claims. For instance, it is to be noted that the carryingmember 2 may be designed in various ways. It is essential that thecarrying member 2 permits the arrangement of the conduit member 3 insuch a manner that they extend upwardly from the carrying member 2.Within the scope of the invention it is also possible to replace thecarrying member 2 by a teatcup claw for collecting the milk from thedifferent teatcups 1.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device arranged to carry a set of teatcupsarranged to be attached to a respective teat of an animal to be milked,each of the teatcups having a bottom, a side wall and a top, said devicecomprising: a plurality of flexible conduit members; and a carryingmember which is displaceable between at least a first inactive positionbeside the animal to be milked and a second active milking position andon which the teatcups are mounted via a respective one of said flexibleconduit members each including at least a milk conduit and designed topermit a certain movability of the teatcup in relation to the carryingmember, wherein each of said conduit members extends upwardly from thecarrying member and connects to the side wall of the respective teatcup,wherein each of said conduit members includes a first portion extendingsubstantially vertically upwardly from the carrying member at least whenthe carrying member is in the second active milking position, andwherein each of said conduit members further includes a second portionextending essentially horizontally to a respective teatcup at least whenthe carrying member is in the second active milking position and theteatcup in question is attached to a teat and wherein the second portionconnects to the teat cup at an upper half of the teat cup and whereinthe teatcup is orientated upwardly when the carrying member is in theinactive position.
 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein eachconduit member includes a connecting portion connecting the firstportion and the second portion and including a bending.
 3. A deviceaccording to claim 2, wherein said bending is substantiallyperpendicular.
 4. A device according to claim 2, wherein the connectingportion is manufactured in a substantially rigid material.
 5. A deviceaccording to claim 2, wherein the first portion and the second portionare manufactured in a flexible material.
 6. A device according to claim5, wherein the second portion, in the proximity of its respectiveteatcup, extends substantially radially outwardly with respect to alongitudinal axis of the teatcup.
 7. A device according to claim 1,wherein the second portion in the proximity of its respective teatcupextends substantially radially outwardly with respect to a longitudinalaxis of the teatcup.
 8. A device according to claim 1, wherein eachconduit member is connected to a milking machine via a respectiveseparate long milk conduit.
 9. A device according to claim 1, whereinthe carrying member is connected to an arm which is rotatable about anaxis being substantially perpendicular to the arm.
 10. A deviceaccording to claim 9, wherein the carrying member is rotatable inrelation to the arm about a substantially vertical axis.
 11. A deviceaccording to claim 9, wherein the carrying member is connected to thearm via a support extending laterally from the arm and including arotary connection to the carrying member.
 12. A device according toclaim 11, wherein the arm is adjustable with regard to its longitudinaldirection.
 13. A device according to claim 9, wherein the arm isadjustable with regard to its longitudinal direction.
 14. A deviceaccording to claim 13, wherein the arm is telescopic.
 15. A deviceaccording to claim 14, wherein the arm is displaceable in asubstantially vertical direction.
 16. A device according to claim 9,wherein the arm is rotatably connected to a bar which is displaceablyarranged in a frame member.
 17. A device according to claim 9, whereinthe arm is displaceable in a substantially vertical direction.